Page 32 - EducationWorld Oct 2021

Young Achievers

(Sports Authority of Gujarat) Residents Welfare Associations in
initiative, Maana trained for six Noida to install e-waste bins. Till
months in Australia and another date, we have collected 700 kg of
six months in the US. Currently, e-waste and sent it for scientific
she is training in Bengaluru under disposal,” says Satyam, who is also
the watchful eye of Dronacharya an active member of his school’s
awardee and national coach Nihar pravahkriti (flow pattern) campaign,
Ameen, for the Asian Games 2022 started in October 2018 to counter
scheduled to be held in Hangzhou irrational social prejudices about
(China) next September. women’s menstrual hygiene and
Although her best 100m back- health.
stroke timing of 1:03:77 is way Yet another initiative co-founded
behind the Tokyo Olympic winner last year by this socially committed
Kaylee McKeown’s (Australia) idealist is Rural Invest, a start-up
57.47 seconds, in her 11-year ca- to address the financial illiteracy of
reer of competitive swimming in rural folk. “We started educating
India, Maana has won 73 national housemaids and chauffeurs in our
and 25 international medals. “My neighbourhood and helped them to
favourite events are the 50m, invest their savings in mutual funds
100m and 200m backstroke in through an easy-to-use Rural Invest
which I hold the national record
MAANA PATEL since 2013. However, I am aware app designed by us,” he adds.
The younger of two siblings of
that my best is way behind the new Rajiv Mehta, an investment banker,
Olympic women’s 100m backstroke and businesswoman Shifali, Satyam
ack in Ahmedabad from the record. The fitness and practice rou- is currently a class XII student of
Tokyo Olympics — Maana tines of the Tokyo Olympics winners Amity International School, Noida.
BPatel (21) — India’s 100m were inspirational. I am working on “I am delighted that JunkGuards,
backstroke swimming hope who emulating them,” says India’s back- Rural Invest and pravahkriti cam-
didn’t make it to the finals or the stroke sprint champion, who hasn’t paigns have been acknowledged
podium, believes she is richer for given up her quest for international nationally and abroad,” says Satyam,
the experience and is determined acclaim. the recipient of several other awards
to give better account of herself in Runa Mukherjee Parikh (Ahmedabad) (NYS Leadership League 2018, The
future aquatic championships. Young Entrepreneurs 2019, Founda-
“The quality of training and tion for Young Innovators 2019, and
coaching facilities in India are far Amity Youth Power 2018-19).
behind other countries. My first SATYAM MEHTA Currently preparing for his CBSE
Olympics experience was somewhat class XII board exams, Satyam is
overwhelming. But I am better for exploring higher education options
it because I got the opportunity to oung Noida-based social abroad. “My dream is to enrol in
compete with world-class swim- activist-entrepreneur Satyam an engineering degree programme
mers, a childhood dream. I will YMehta (16) was among 200 after my Plus Two. But I intend to
definitely come back stronger in the global citizens conferred the presti- continue my social activism in India
Paris Olympics 2024,” she vows. gious Diana Award 2021 on July 1, at and overseas,” says this exemplary
Maana is the only child of Rajiv a specially organised online felicita- young idealist.
Patel, an equity portfolio manager, tion ceremony. The Diana Award was Paromita Sengupta (Bengaluru)
and homemaker Aanal who enrolled initiated by the British government
her in swimming classes when she in 1999 in memory of Princess
was eight (2008) to “improve her Diana of Wales (1961-1997)
appetite and make her stronger”. to acknowledge outstanding
Two summers later, her parents young leaders worldwide for
signed her up for professional train- initiating and sustaining posi-
ing under coach Kamlesh Nanavati tive social change in their com-
with whom she rigorously trained munities. Winning this award
for eight years. is a precondition of qualifying
In 2015, Maana was spotted in a for the next grade Diana Legacy
talent hunt competition organised Award.
by Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ) — a In early 2018, Satyam
Mumbai-based NGO founded by and his cousins Madhav and
former world snooker champion Shivangi Sharma launched
Geet Sethi and badminton star JunkGuards, a public interest
Prakash Padukone — to train drive to propagate and pro-
India’s best athletes to win Olympic mote effective e-waste disposal.
medals. Under an OGQ and SAG “JunkGuards collaborates with

32 EDUCATIONWORLD OCTOBER 2021